|
|
Posts: 91
| This is a question I've been wanting to post for quite awhile. I've always wanted to know what the proper "tipping " for a guide , fishing for muskies, should be. I understand they're many parameters for tipping, but am interested to hear your "going rate" and typical gratuity. Guiding for muskies is like no other fish. The time and water covered in a typical day could be huge. So, I guess what I'm asking is, What do you normally give for a tip to a guide when fishing for muskies? Thanks |
|
| |
|
Posts: 1663
Location: Kodiak, AK | Run a quick search on this site and see what you get. This question gets asked often, and there's all kinds of info you can read up on.
Here's just a few-
http://muskie.outdoorsfirst.com/board/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=50...
http://muskie.outdoorsfirst.com/board/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=42...
http://muskie.outdoorsfirst.com/board/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=32...
Edited by esoxfly 9/22/2009 7:24 AM
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 91
| Thanks Esox...didn't realize it was such a hotly debated subject. Thanks for the info |
|
| |
|
|
I just guided 2 guys to 6 fish one day last week and I did not receive a tip. It was a trip that I donated to be given away as a door prize at a local fishing show. So I didn't get a single dollar - As a matter of fact the day cost me almost $30 for snacks, drinks, and ice for the guys.
Just wanted to vent .... Thanks for listening !! |
|
| |
|
| Well you should have been tipped Guest, but a good day might mean they book again with you, or they talk about how many fish they caught with you and others hear about and thus book with you. Not necessarily a lost cause |
|
| |
|
Location: Sawyer County, WI | Guest - 9/22/2009 1:43 PM
I just guided 2 guys to 6 fish one day last week and I did not receive a tip. It was a trip that I donated to be given away as a door prize at a local fishing show. So I didn't get a single dollar - As a matter of fact the day cost me almost $30 for snacks, drinks, and ice for the guys.
Just wanted to vent .... Thanks for listening !!
Wow, this summer after paying the daily fee, I tipped $50 and I got zero ice, zero drinks, and zero snacks. I guess I need to vent !  |
|
| |
|
Posts: 1270
| Guest, You did donate it so you really shouldn't have expected to get paid. If you were expecting to get paid then it really wasn't a donation was it?
Guides set the price of there trip, if they think they are worth $X then that's what they should charge, not $x-$50 and hope for a $50 tip. |
|
| |
|
| I agree with reelman. I don't understand why you should tip them either. I go to work everyday and have never gotten a tip. I take that back-- one guy told me that if I wanted a tip he'd give me one. Find a better paying job!
Do you tip everyone who does something for you?
Do you tip at the grocery store?
Do you tip at the gas station?
Do you tip the garbage man?
Do you tip the person at the bait shop?
etc.
If you want X amount of dollars for your service. Charge me upfront and I'll decide if I am willing to pay for your service.
And this is not meant to sound like I'm bashing guides. Far from it, they work hard for their money and deserve whatever they want to charge.
PS-- I probably would tip the guide if I won the trip, but wouldn't bash anyone who didn't. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 1270
| I should also clarify that I am not trying to bash guides, they do a very hard job and IMHO may not make what they really should be making but it is up to them to charge more if they believe they are worth more. When I see a guide advertising $200 for a whole day I wonder if that's all the guy thinks he's really worth. While $200 might sound like a lot for a day fishing when you add in all the expenses $200 isn't sqwuat!
While I don't like the idea of tipping a guide I find myself tipping what I consider to be a very good amount when I do use a guide or charter. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 1516
| Having fished with several guides we have always tipped for the effort given. Even donated trips should be tipped It's one thing to give up a day but to go into the hole on gas etc. isn't what I expect. I don't go on percentage we usually tip $40.00 to $60.00 per day. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 378
Location: Michigan | Boy, I can't imagine not tipping... My rule is about 10% if the guide worked hard at it whether we boat fish or not. Boating fish, is a bonus... A recent trip I took, the guide worked really hard, and also put me on fish. I tipped about 15%. If I won an auction, I would still do something... Tip, food, something... Just my 2 cents. However, I did stiff a guide once because it was a horrible experience... screwed around 2 of 8 hours, was not focussed on the species i hired him to put me on, generally a putz... |
|
| |
|
Posts: 36
Location: Blaine, MN | I don't expect to get tipped when I guide. If you expect to get tipped, but the client doesn't tip, then that's when the frustration sets in. I don't put myself in those positions. Nobody likes a letdown. It's not a requirement to tip, only when there are 8 or more guests when at a restaurant! If you expect to get tipped, then state that when the clients book. |
|
| |
|
| Good people tip, that is the way the world works...it is pretty simple....
Nice thing is there are enough really good people to make up for the not so good ones...so it tends to even out in the long run...Ben
Edited by BenR 9/22/2009 5:51 PM
|
|
| |
|
Location: Illinois | Formula for tipping a musky guide Number of inches of musky caught divided by guide fee X 200 Hence if a guide charges 325 and guides me to a 33 & 34(67 total musky inches) and didn't screw around he would earn a 41.25 tip. *add 20.00 bonus for muskies over 44" and 50.00 for every over 50". So if a guide guides me to a 50 incher, he gets eighty bucks. If all we get is a 34, he gets twenty bucks. A 44, he gets $47 (in this case, I round up to an even 50) A guide who produces gets tipped, one who doesn't, does not. Sure, I gained value from the trip in knowledge, but that is what the guide fee covers. I am upfront and let the guide know in advance that I am a performance based tipper, and that should we strike out, my absence of a tip should not offend in any way. I understand musky fishing, they don't always jump in the boat and there's nothing a guide could do. He could impress me by pulling out all the stops, but I'm still not tipping unless: A) he offers a discounted fee now or in the future because he'she is unhappy with catching zilch B)we move something HUGE
Edited by muskellunged 9/22/2009 6:21 PM
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 265
Location: McGuire AFB, NJ | Well now don't I just feel stupid. I hired a guide for my pop's and I on fathers day. I had no idea I was supposed to tip. Just didn't give it much thought. I guess I was naieve. I feel kinda like a chump. Great guide, lots of 411!
I always over tip at restaurants if there is good service. Hook up the moving guys with beer if they want, through a couple bucks at the paper boy. But I never thought about tipping a guide. I just thought they charged what they wanted for their time. My bad |
|
| |
|
Location: Illinois | Don't feel dumb, tipping is always optional. The guides are more worried about customer satisfaction/return business than tips. Even if you don't rebook, you can tell others of his professionalism. Tip because you want to, not because you feel obligated! |
|
| |
|
Posts: 402
Location: Eagle River, WI | I'm not bashing guides here but, if I were to use this performance based tipping in my everyday life it would go something like this.
I come to your house and we both agree that your well will be around 80' deep. I end up making your well around 60', the waters great, and there's plenty of it. Should I expect to get a tip? If I should, I've been getting screwed for years.
Getting a tip is like putting on an old jacket and reaching into the pocket and finding a $20 bill. It's great when it happens but I wouldn't expect it all the time. |
|
| |
|
| BenR - 9/22/2009 5:48 PM
Good people tip, that is the way the world works...it is pretty simple....
Nice thing is there are enough really good people to make up for the not so good ones...so it tends to even out in the long run...Ben
Have to disagree. As a matter of fact, you are completely ass-backwards on this !!
It is the good GUIDES that deserve the tips, not the good CLIENTS !! If I go out with a guide who shows up late, doesn't have the proper equipment agreed upon him bringing, wants to leave early to play golf (I actually had one tell me that once !!) etc... and I don't tip him, I'm NOT the bad person there !! |
|
| |
|
Posts: 8863
| To me, a tip is not obligatory. I plan on tipping the guide when we start the day, but I will refrain if I feel that particular guide didn't really put forth a solid effort. I figure you pay for 8 hours. If you get 10 out of the day, that's the guide basically giving you two hours for free. That's extra effort, and that is a reason to tip.
I also take into consideration how many times we moved, did we make long runs, did we change lakes... Basically "did this guy just put in his 8 hours to get his guide fee and go on about his life" or "did he make every effort to put me on a fish today, even if it meant lake hopping and burning a lot of gas"...
After probably 100 guide trips, you can pretty much gauge who is just going through the motions and who is really busting their hump out there. If you bust your hump, you'll probably get $40-$50, whether we see fish or not. A nice fish or two will usually get you a few bucks too.
Edited by esoxaddict 9/24/2009 4:18 PM
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 172
| I had went on 2 guide trip. 1 told me he should get tips if I caught any but didn't. And other one was mad that I tipped him....so its varies on guides |
|
| |
|
Posts: 717
Location: Grand Rapids, MI | There's no way I would tip. In the guides' ad, does it say "I will do a half-a$$ job of putting you on fish for $500/day. If you plan on tipping me, I will put forth my FULL effort." I do concrete work for a living. I work as hard as I can, bust my junk, and put forth the best product I can manage. About 1 or 2 times a year, I will get a client who brings us out some lunch. That's our "tip". If they don't bring us out lunch or tip us, we don't leave their yard a mess. We always do the same quality of work, regardless. |
|
| |
|
| A guide sets his rates based on what he needs to recoup his cost plus make a profit. A waiter or waitress depend on tips due to there low wage. There was a post on this earlier in the year and I must admit it had me thinking. It just so happened I went out with a guide this year for the first time ever and I'm thinking to myself should I tip or not? Personally I didn't think it was necessary but this topic had me thinking about it. Long story short we went out, supper nice guy, recommended guide, didn't move a fish and I noticed we fished the same area all day and night (Nothing!). It made my original belief an easier decision and that was no tip. If we had moved or caught fish it may have pushed me in the other direction but I personally feel it should not be necessary and people should'nt tip because they fell pressure to do so. |
|
| |
|
| Me - UL - 9/24/2009 2:33 PM
BenR - 9/22/2009 5:48 PM
Good people tip, that is the way the world works...it is pretty simple....
Nice thing is there are enough really good people to make up for the not so good ones...so it tends to even out in the long run...Ben
Have to disagree. As a matter of fact, you are completely ass-backwards on this !!
It is the good GUIDES that deserve the tips, not the good CLIENTS !! If I go out with a guide who shows up late, doesn't have the proper equipment agreed upon him bringing, wants to leave early to play golf (I actually had one tell me that once !! ) etc... and I don't tip him, I'm NOT the bad person there !!
Seeing as though you see this as a personal attack speaks volumes of your guilt...not really interested...I stand by most post...Ben |
|
| |
|
Posts: 53
Location: Victor, ID | I broke my guides rod in half setting the hook on a weed! I also had a boatside strike but lost her after the first jump. I tipped $60 for the broken rod. I would have tipped more, however, the guide fished from the bow all day long and was in our way most of the time. I think he wanted to catch the fish himself and just get us to video. That's bull. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 1270
| If you broke the rod on a weed the rod was already broke. |
|
| |
|
Location: Oswego, IL | reelman - 9/25/2009 11:33 AM
If you broke the rod on a weed the rod was already broke.
thats what I was thinking, I guess the guy before him didnt tip either! |
|
| |
|
Posts: 16632
Location: The desert | Polarkraft1996 - 9/25/2009 10:40 AM
I tipped $60 for the broken rod. I would have tipped more, however, the guide fished from the bow all day long and was in our way most of the time. I think he wanted to catch the fish himself and just get us to video. That's bull.
Sounds like you ripped yourself off. |
|
| |
|
Location: SE Wisconsin | Bucher once wrote in MH an article about guiding. One thing that has stuck with me through the time since I read it referred to a question he was often asked by clients, "Can you guarantee me a fish today". His reply was something to the affect of, "I can guarantee I put you over fish, but can you guarantee me that you can catch them?"
Fishing is fishing, it's not catching, cliche` as it sounds. If you plan on tipping a guide and he works hard for you, don't rule it out based on your lack of success that day. |
|
| |
|
| BenR - 9/24/2009 9:35 PM
Me - UL - 9/24/2009 2:33 PM
BenR - 9/22/2009 5:48 PM
Good people tip, that is the way the world works...it is pretty simple....
Nice thing is there are enough really good people to make up for the not so good ones...so it tends to even out in the long run...Ben
Have to disagree. As a matter of fact, you are completely ass-backwards on this !!
It is the good GUIDES that deserve the tips, not the good CLIENTS !! If I go out with a guide who shows up late, doesn't have the proper equipment agreed upon him bringing, wants to leave early to play golf (I actually had one tell me that once !! ) etc... and I don't tip him, I'm NOT the bad person there !!
Seeing as though you see this as a personal attack speaks volumes of your guilt...not really interested...I stand by most post...Ben
Not taking it as a personal attack, just think you are WAY off base on this. It is exactly your position that creates this confusion. For you to base the act of tipping on the status of the client (good person vs bad person) without taking into consideration the performance/effort/quality of the guide is absolutely ridiculous. I think it is even detrimental to the guiding industry to blindly tip without any regard to the guide. That must frustrate the good guides who see bad guides blindly being tipped for a poor performance. When a good guide sees that happen, what is his incentive to provide a quality experience if he knows/expects a tip without regard to his performance??
You can stand by your post all you want, doesn't make you even close to being right.
You keep blindly tipping, there's always one of you in the crowd. Try over-tipping next, that really sends a message !!!! |
|
| |
|
| Guest - 9/25/2009 1:16 PM
BenR - 9/24/2009 9:35 PM
Me - UL - 9/24/2009 2:33 PM
BenR - 9/22/2009 5:48 PM
Good people tip, that is the way the world works...it is pretty simple....
Nice thing is there are enough really good people to make up for the not so good ones...so it tends to even out in the long run...Ben
Have to disagree. As a matter of fact, you are completely ass-backwards on this !!
It is the good GUIDES that deserve the tips, not the good CLIENTS !! If I go out with a guide who shows up late, doesn't have the proper equipment agreed upon him bringing, wants to leave early to play golf (I actually had one tell me that once !! ) etc... and I don't tip him, I'm NOT the bad person there !!
Seeing as though you see this as a personal attack speaks volumes of your guilt...not really interested...I stand by most post...Ben
Not taking it as a personal attack, just think you are WAY off base on this. It is exactly your position that creates this confusion. For you to base the act of tipping on the status of the client (good person vs bad person ) without taking into consideration the performance/effort/quality of the guide is absolutely ridiculous. I think it is even detrimental to the guiding industry to blindly tip without any regard to the guide. That must frustrate the good guides who see bad guides blindly being tipped for a poor performance. When a good guide sees that happen, what is his incentive to provide a quality experience if he knows/expects a tip without regard to his performance??
You can stand by your post all you want, doesn't make you even close to being right.
You keep blindly tipping, there's always one of you in the crowd. Try over-tipping next, that really sends a message !!!!
Not tipping sends a much clearer message than over tipping...that is for certain... |
|
| |
